Traffic marker rod



y 19, 1 42. H. T. THOMPSON 2,283 515 TRAFFIC MARKER ROD Filed Nov. 6, 1940 Patented May 19, 1 942 sr'ras OFFICE 5 Claims.

My invention relates to a traffic marker rod and has for its principal object, the provision of a relatively simple, practical and inexpensive device to be used by traffic officers for the convenient marking of the tires of parked automobiles, which marking serves as a guide for indicating the parking time of the car and consequently assisting materially in the control of trafilc.

In practically all cities or Wherever motor vehicle traffic is more or less congested, there are ordinances governing the time limit for the parking of motor vehicles and where such conditions exist it is the general practice of traffic oiiicers mounted on motorcycles to. drive along the streets or highways and with a piece of chalkor the like mark the tires of parked motor vehicles and which markings enable the officer patrolling the street or highway to determine whether or not the marked vehicles are parked over time or beyond the periods permitted by the trafiic laws.

Tire marking devices now in use embody rods or sticks carrying at their distal ends pieces of chalk or crayon which, as the traffic ofiicer drives past a parked car, is brought into contact with the tread surface of the wheel of a parked car, but such practice is unsatisfactory for the reason that the ofiicer must slacken speed each time a tire is marked and there is always the attendant danger of breaking the chalk or crayon during the marking operations.

It is the principal object of my invention to provide improved means including a hollow rod 'portion of which latter is discharged from the perforations at the end of the rod and delivered directly onto the tread portion of a tire and which provision enables the wheels of parked cars to be marked with a considerable saving of time as compared to the present marking methods and further, by using pulverized material as the marking medium there is no loss of substantial portions of such medium due to breakage or crumbling .of crayon or chalk at the time the same is drawn across the surface of a tire to mark same.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, my invention consists in certain novel features of construction and arrangement of parts that will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. l is a perspective view showing a traffic marker rod as the same appears while in use.

Fig. 2 is an elevational view of the rod with the end portions thereof inlongitudinal section.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged cross section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. is a perspective View of the cartridge that contains the marking powder and which is inserted in the upper portion .of the marking rod.

Referring by numerals to the accompanying drawing which illustrates a preferred embodiment of my invention, I0 designates a tube, pref-' erably of metal, and which for all practical purposes may have a length of two or three feet and a diameter of a half inch, more or less.

Secured to one end of this tube is a slightly larger tube II which may have a length of from eight to twelve inches and removably applied tothe upper end of this larger tube II is a closure I2, preferably a screw cap.

Secured in any suitable manner, preferably by means of an adhesive, to the upper portion of tube II immediately below cap I2, is a sheath I3 of leather, rubber, or analogous material, and which provides a more or less flexible gripping surface for the hand of the user of the marking device.

The elongated chamber I4 in tube I I is adapted to receive a cartridge or container C formed of thin, flexible material such as paper and which is filled with powdered chalk.

The length of this cartridge or container is approximately equal to or slightly less than the chamber I4 in tube II so that when the cartridge is inserted in said tube its lower end will rest on the shoulder at the lower end of chamber I4 and which shoulder is formed by the upper end of tube II]. Prior to the insertion of the chalk-containing cartridge into the chamber It, the lower end of said cartridge is punctured or torn away so as to permit the powdered chalk to flow readily from the cartridge or container downwardly through tube Ill.

The lower end of tube It is closed in any suitable manner and formed in said closed lower end and in the wall of the tube adjacent said closed end are apertures I5 which permit the chalk to discharge from the lower end of the device, and applied to tube Ill and covering the lower perforated one thereof is one or more sleeves I6 of loosely woven fabric. While this fabric permits the passage of a certain amount of the pulverized chalk when the same is forcibly expelled through the apertures I5, it normally prevents the free flow or discharge of the powder through the apertures I5.

The marking rod is made ready" for use by removing cap I2, inserting a cartridge containing pulverized chalk into the chamber M in tube I I with the lower end of said cartridge punctured or torn away to permit the powdered chalk to flow freely downwardly into tube l0. The wrapper of the cartridge remains in chamber M as the lower end of said cartridge rests on a shoulder formed by the upper end of tube I0, so that said wrapper may be readily removed when the marker is subsequently charged with a filled cartridge.

As the traffic ofiicer rides past a parked car that is to be marked so as to aid the ofiicer in.

of powdered chalk will be forcibly expelledthrough the apertures IS in the lower end of tube l0 and through the interstices of the fabric covering 16. thus leaving a definite mark on the tire.

It is the practice of traffic officers in checking parked cars to make regularly timed trips along the streets and highways where. the cars are parked and thus by noting the marked tires, the officer may readily check those cars that are parked over time.

Thus it will be seen that I have provided a traffic marking device that is relatively simple in'construction, inexpensive of manufacture and very effective in performing the functions for which it is intended.

It will be understood that minor changes in the size, form and construction of the various parts of my improved trafiic marker rod, may be made and substituted for those herein shown and described, without departing from the spirit of my invention, the scope of which is set forth in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A traffic marking device comprising a rod provided in its upper portion with a chamber, a cap removably positioned on the upper end of said rod and closing the upper end of said chamber, the lower portion of the rod being provided with a duct that leads downwardly from said chamber, the chamber in said rod being adapted to receive a body of pulverized marking material and the distal end of the rod being provided with perforations that communicate with the lower end of the duct in the lower portion of said rod.

2. A trafi'ic marking device as set forth in claim 1 and with a sleeve of reticulated material covering the perforated end of the rod.

3. A traffic marking device comprising an elongated'hollow member adapted to receive pulverized marking material, the distal end of said member being provided with perforations that communicate with the chamber within said member, a screen surrounding the perforated end of said member and a sleeve of flexible material mounted on the upper portion of said member to provide a gripping surface.

4. A traffic marking device comprising a tubular member, the upper portion thereof being constructed to receive a cartridge containing pulverized marking material, means for supporting the wrapper of said cartridge in the upper portion of said member and the lower end of the wall of said member being perforated.

5. A trafiic marking device as set forth in claim 4 and with a flexible screen surrounding 

